5 Startups that Are Fighting Plastic

Plastic Free July is upon us, and the third day of the month also marks Plastic Bag Free Day. As we are a business with purpose, that cares about the planet, people and its future, we share deep appreciation for this month, what it honours and for all of the amazing businesses doing their part to reduce plastic.

Discover 5 other like-minded businesses that are worth supporting this month in our collective fight to banish single-use plastic! 

Tirtyl - Did you know that only 9% of plastic manufactured is recycled? Since 2020, Australian company Tirtyl has joined the fight against plastic, eliminating single-use soap bottles and laundry liquid packaging in Australian households.  The idea is simple, instead of using a single-use soap dispenser, grab yourself a Tirtyl hand soap kit, and order refills whenever you need. They have also launched a home range with dishwashing tablets,  laundry detergent sheets and a universal cleaner. Best part? With every product sold, Tirtyl collects ocean-bound plastic by passing proceeds from purchases to Plastic Bank. These proceeds are paid to locals in developing communities as wages to collect ocean-bound plastic, most often on beaches and rivers. 

 

Mushroom Packaging - Who said mushrooms only belonged on our plates (or in The Swag)? Mushroom Packaging is a packaging grown - not manufactured - made out of two natural ingredients: mycelium and hemp hurd (yes, it’s home compostable!) It’s a great eco replacement to polystyrene and can be reused as acoustic panels, coolers, planters and more. It’s a true cradle-to-cradle invention. Grow Bio, sells Grow It Yourself kit for you to make your own creation made out of mycelium!

 

Loliware - The world's ocean absorbs around 30% of the planet's carbon emissions, a portion of which becomes stored for hundreds of years. Scientists refer to the ocean's stored carbon as "blue carbon". Loliware is a New York-based company that produces The Blue Carbon Straw, a straw made out of seaweed, one of the ocean’s most important forms of blue carbon. Unlike other biodegradable items on the market, which will end up in industrial composting facilities to degrade, Loliware products can be safely discarded in a simple backyard compost pile. They also use ocean-farmed seaweed, which means the seaweed blend that goes into their products does not come at a cost to sensitive coastal habitats.

 

Siklus - This Indonesia-based startup aims at creating a sustainable retail system that reduces household plastic waste. Siklus delivers refills of cooking oil, laundry detergent, shampoo, and much more via their refill bikes. It’s simple - customers simply download the app, choose what refills they need and when, and a refill bike will come to deliver everyday consumer products to their doorstep - without plastic packaging! It’s cheaper, time savvy and saves plastic from going into landfills.

 

Mi Terro - Mi Terro is a revolutionary company. Why? The first product the company developed was a textile fibre made from… spoiled milk! Upon developing its process, the company has since come up with a new solution that turns agricultural waste into compostable packaging material. The company now works closely with Budweiser and other big companies to create sustainable supply chains and cut losses due to waste. Mi Terro products are water-soluble and can break down into the water under room temperature. They are also biodegradable and will naturally degrade in a year or so and in less than 200 days in industrial composting facilities.